Quality Improvement and Research Across Fetal and Neonatal Care Settings

Abstract

AbstractFetal care centers, neonatal intensive care units, and neonatal follow-up settings provide a vast and unique frontier for important and novel research. Investigative efforts focusing on psychosocial issues and mental health across fetal and neonatal care settings have surged in recent decades, but additional research is necessary to further identify psychosocial needs of parents, refine and develop evidence-based care for families, better assist with staff education and support, create an evidence base to provide information critical to advocate for staffing and policy changes, and extend knowledge to propel the field forward. This chapter discusses two investigative disciplines—research and quality improvement—and presents their distinctions as well as their synergies and application within fetal and neonatal care settings. This is followed by presentation of key areas that warrant research exploration related to behavioral health issues and an overview of practical considerations for research application in these settings.